Treatment of hard surfaces

Abstract

Hard surfaces can be treated to improve soil resistance, particularly resistance to oily soils, by applying a composition of a quaternised, polyamine, polypropoxylate, polyethoxylate. The polyamine can be a polyethyleneimme, desirably having a molecular weight of from 10 to 50 kDa. The average length of the polypropylenoxy chains is desirably from 10 to 100 and the polyethylenoxy chains from 5 to 50 (each per NH group in the polyamine), particularly at a molar ratio of PO:EO of about 3:1. The degree of quaternization of the nitrogen atoms in the polyamine is desirably from 70 to 100%. The polymer will usually be used in solution in water or an aqueous formulation, which may include detergent and other detergent formulation components.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of improving soil resistance of a hard surface, comprising:
 applying to the hard surface a composition comprising a polymer of Formula (I):
   R 1 [A 1 {(PO) n (EO) m H} 2 ] p [A 1 (PO) n (EO) m H] q [A 1 ] r   (I)
 
 
 
       wherein
 R 1  represents the molecular framework of a quaternized polyamine apart from p+q+r quaternized groups; 
 A 1  independently represents a tertiary N atom; a quaternary group N + R 2 An s-   1/s  wherein R 2  represents a C 1  to C 6  alkyl or a C 7  to C 10  aralkyl group and An represents a charge balancing anion carrying a charge of s-; or a quaternary nitrogen betaine group; 
 PO represents propyleneoxy; 
 EO represents ethyleneoxy; 
 n represents a value from 10 to 100; 
 m represents a value from 5 to 100; 
 p represents the number of alkoxylated/quaternized primary amino groups in the polymer; 
 q represents the number of alkoxylated/quaternized secondary amino groups in the polymer; 
 r represents the number of quaternized tertiary amino groups in the polymer; and 
 p+q+r represents a value in the range 200 to 1200. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises the polymer of Formula (I) is dissolved in water. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the polymer of Formula (I) is present at a concentration of from 0.1 to 1.25 wt. % by weight based on the total formulation. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is exclusive of detergent surfactant. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition contains detergent surfactant. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the composition comprises from 2 to 30 wt. % by weight based on the total formulation of nonionic detergent surfactant. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition additionally comprises one or more of the following components:
 detergent builder; wetters and/or dispersants; soil suspending agents and/or anti-redeposition agents; dye transfer agents and/or dye transfer inhibitors; enzymes; bleaches optionally with bleach activators; hydrotropes; sequestrants or chelating agents; pH adjustment and/or buffering agents; as mild abrasives; corrosion inhibitors; anti-foams; stabilizers; preservatives; radical scavengers; perfume; anti dusting agents; optical brighteners; silicones; and dye/pigment. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the composition comprises at least one of:
 detergent builder in an amount of from 0.5 to 15 wt. %; 
 sequestrant in an amount of from 0.5 to 5 wt. %; 
 hydrotrope in an amount of from 0.5 to 5 wt. %; 
 solvent in an amount of from 1 to 30 wt. %; 
 polymer in an amount of from 0.1 to 5 wt. %; 
 alkali/acid in an amount of from 0.1 to 10 wt. %; 
 bleach in an amount of from 0.5 to 15 wt. %; 
 fragrance and/or color in an amount of from 0.1 to 2 wt. %; 
 
       wherein all percentages being by weight based on the total formulation. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method improves soil resistance to oily soils. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the A 1  is a quaternary nitrogen betaine group comprising the formula —N + R 4 COO—, wherein R 4  is a hydrocarbylene group. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the hydrocarbylene group is an alkylene group. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the hydrocarbylene group is a C 1  to C 6  alkylene group. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the hydrocarbylene group is a CH 2  group. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the p+q+r represents a value in the range of 340 to 700. 
     
     
       15. A hard surface treatment formulation, comprising a soil resistance-improving agent comprising:
 i) at least one water soluble polymer of Formula (I):
   R 1 [A 1 {(PO) n (EO) m H} 2 ] p [A 1 (PO) n (EO) m H] g [A 1 ] r   (I)
 
 wherein
 R 1  represents the molecular framework of a quaternized polyamine apart from p+q+r quaternized groups; 
 A 1  independently represents a tertiary N atom; a quaternary group N + R 2 An s-   1/s  wherein R 2  represents a C 1  to C 6  alkyl or a C 7  to C 10  aralkyl group and An represents a charge balancing anion carrying a charge of s-; or a quaternary nitrogen betaine group; 
 PO represents propyleneoxy; 
 EO represents ethyleneoxy; 
 n represents a value from 10 to 100; 
 m represents a value from 5 to 100; 
 p represents the number of alkoxylated/quaternized primary amino groups in the polymer; 
 q represents the number of alkoxylated/quaternized secondary amino groups in the polymer; 
 r represents the number of quaternized tertiary amino groups in the polymer; and 
 p+q+r represents a value in the range of 200 to 700; and 
 
 
 ii) at least one detergent surfactant. 
 
     
     
       16. The formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one water soluble polymer of Formula (I) is dissolved in water. 
     
     
       17. The formulation of  claim 16 , wherein the polymer of Formula (I) is present at a concentration of from 0.1 to 1.25 wt. % based on the total formulation. 
     
     
       18. The formulation of  claim 16 , wherein the formulation comprises from 2 to 30 wt. % based on the total formulation of nonionic detergent surfactant. 
     
     
       19. The formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the formulation further comprises one or more of the following components:
 detergent builder; wetters and/or dispersants; soil suspending agents and/or anti-redeposition agents; dye transfer agents and/or dye transfer inhibitors; enzymes; bleaches optionally with bleach activators; hydrotropes; sequestrants or chelating agents; pH adjustment and/or buffering agents; as mild abrasives; corrosion inhibitors; anti-foams; stabilizers; preservatives; radical scavengers; perfume; anti dusting agents; optical brighteners; silicones; and dye/pigment. 
 
     
     
       20. The formulation of  claim 18 , wherein the formulation comprises at least one of:
 detergent builder in an amount of from 0.5 to 15 wt. %; 
 sequestrant in an amount of from 0.5 to 15 wt. %; 
 hydrotrope in an amount of from 1 to 5 wt. %; 
 solvent in an amount of from 1 to 30 wt. %; 
 polymer in an amount of from 0.1 to 5 wt. %; 
 alkali/acid in an amount of from 0.1 to 10 wt. %; 
 bleach in an amount of from 0.5 to 15 wt. %; 
 fragrance and/or color in an amount of from 0.1 to 2 wt. %; 
 
       all percentages being by weight based on the total formulation. 
     
     
       21. The formulation of  claim 19 , wherein the preservatives are selected from biocides and antimicrobials. 
     
     
       22. The formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the polymer has an average of at least one reactive NH group per 75 Da of molecular weight. 
     
     
       23. The formulation of  claim 15 , wherein p+q+r represents a value in the range of 340 to 700. 
     
     
       24. The formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the molar ratio of polypropylenoxy groups to polyoxyethylene groups (m to n) is from 1:1 to 5:1. 
     
     
       25. The formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the degree of quaternization is at least 35%. 
     
     
       26. The formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the group R 2  is a C 1  to C 6 . 
     
     
       27. The formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the group An −  is a halide. 
     
     
       28. The formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the polymer has a molecular weight of from 250 kDa to 3 MDa. 
     
     
       29. The formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the A 1  is a quaternary nitrogen betaine group comprising the formula —N + R 4 COO—, wherein R 4  is a hydrocarbylene group. 
     
     
       30. The formulation of  claim 29 , wherein the hydrocarbylene group is an alkylene group. 
     
     
       31. The formulation of  claim 29 , wherein the hydrocarbylene group is a C 1  to C 6  alkylene group. 
     
     
       32. The formulation of  claim 29 , wherein the hydrocarbylene group is a CH 2  group.